The economic think tank found that the London School of Economics (LSE) was the only university in the UK where more than 10% of female graduates went on to earn a salary above 100,000 pounds ($142,000) 10 years after graduating.

But more than 10% of male graduates from three universities — LSE, Oxford, and Cambridge — earned more than that figure in the same period.

The academic gender pay gap was prevalent further down the university league table, too.

"Even if we do not focus on the very top, a large number of institutions (36 for men and 10 for women) had 10% of their graduates earning more than £60,000 a year ten years on," an IFS statement said.

Along with highlighting the gap between male and female grads, the report also shows the median raw earnings by subject for female students who graduated between 1999 and 2005.

While the numbers may seem low, they take into account women who may not have gone into a profession directly related to the subject they studied.

No. 16. Communications

Communications still seems to be a man's world, but there are exceptions, like Maggie Wilderotter, the former CEO of Frontier Communications. (Incidentally, business runs in the family; Wilderotter's sister, Denise Morrison, leads the Campbell Soup Co.)

No. 14. Agriculture

A profession in which women and men's pay is relatively equal, agriculture is an increasingly tough degree to put into practice in the UK. But farming can still be a lucrative career if you can manage to run your own business.

No. 12. Engineering and Technology

There's no getting around it: With a pay gap like that, engineering has a gender problem — particularly in the UK, which has the lowest female proportion in Europe. But any who do get into the industry can expect a healthy wage.

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No. 11. Business

Boardroom gender inequality has been a big issue in recent years, and although diversity is increasing, there's still a big gap in pay. EasyJet boss Carolyn McCall is one of only a handful of female FTSE100 CEOs.

The strikingly high earnings gap is more likely because of higher-education gender divergences than primary- or secondary-school careers. But it's still surprising given how notoriously demanding the profession is.

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No. 5. Biology

The second-smallest earnings gap on the list is in a science subject, good news for an area where women are hugely underrepresented. As history begins to recognise the impact of more female scientists, perhaps more female students will sign up.

No. 4. Law

Law is a tough profession, but shifting the earnings gap seems even tougher. Nevertheless, it's very well-paid no matter what your gender.

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No. 3. Language and Literature

Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters

Median Earnings: £23,800 ($33,700)

For Men: £26,300 ($37,300)

Some of the biggest book phenomena of recent times have been written by women, not least the "Harry Potter" series by JK Rowling. Languages are also massively in demand at UK companies, so a degree in that often pays for itself in no time.

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No. 2. Economics

Christine Lagarde.
Thomson Reuters

Median Earnings: £33,000 ($46,700)

For Men: £39,900 ($56,600)

Some may argue over whether economics is an art or a science, but everyone can agree that a degree in it pays very well. With women like International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde (pictured) making waves, it's a lucrative subject for both genders.

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No. 1. Medicine

The best-paying degree for women and men is medicine, perhaps because it usually leads to a very specific, highly skilled, and highly paid profession. While the top 10 female earners who studied economics earned more than those who did medicine, the latter had a higher median average, making it a great subject to study.